Bishkek, May 8, 2026 /Kabar/. At the Regional Environment Summit (RES) held in Astana, the Capacity-Building Alliance of Sustainable Investment (CASI) announced the launch of 28 entry-level online training modules (Level 1) in Russian. With the support of the Green Finance Center of the Astana International Financial Center (AIFC), the Russian-language version of the project aims to develop competencies in sustainable finance and promote sustainable investment in Central Asia.
The event brought together representatives of local financial institutions, regulators, international organizations, and academia to explore practical strategies for building sustainable finance capacity and improving project readiness in the region.
Yaseen Anwar, former Governor of the Central Bank of Pakistan and current Regional Head of the Green Investment Principles (GIP) initiative in Central Asia, emphasized the importance of coordinated efforts between regulators, financial institutions, and educational platforms like CASI to support the region's transition to sustainable finance.
CASI Academy offers an innovative and interactive learning format, based on modular video content and self-paced learning, and includes a range of certification programs in sustainable finance and investment. The curriculum covers topics such as sustainable finance taxonomies, climate risk assessment, green and transition finance instruments, carbon markets, and sustainability disclosures.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Ma Jun, Chair of CASI and former Co-Chair of the G20 Sustainable Finance Task Force, emphasized the role of capacity building in achieving sustainable financial development: "The transition to sustainable finance in Central Asia requires coordinated capacity building among regulators, financial institutions, and project developers. CASI was established to address this challenge by providing structured training and practical knowledge. The launch of the CASI Academy in the region, coupled with courses in Russian, will expand access to training and strengthen capacity for local implementation of this initiative."
Professor Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, General Coordinator of the Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC-COMSTECH), emphasized the importance of capacity building in government agencies and institutions, noting the role of international cooperation in expanding sustainable finance efforts.
Manas Gijduaniev, CEO of the AIFC Green Finance Centre, also noted the importance of regional cooperation in promoting sustainable financial ecosystems.
The CASI Academy's first users in the region, including the Eurasian Development Bank, the Development Bank of Kazakhstan, and the Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Business, welcomed the launch of the CASI Academy platform and its online modules in local languages, emphasizing its importance in expanding the competencies of practitioners and students.
CASI will continue to collaborate with regional partners to expand training programs, deepen engagement, and improve educational content, including adding more local case studies and additional language versions.